


All Grown Up Now

by Xie



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-22
Updated: 2006-12-22
Packaged: 2018-10-19 19:04:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10646127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xie/pseuds/Xie
Summary: A a Drew/Emmett romantic happy-ending holiday story.





	All Grown Up Now

_Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time_. -Anonymous  
  
**Ted’s POV**  
  
I woke up from a deep sleep to the insistent sound of the doorbell. It seemed to me it had been ringing over and over in my dream. Blake was sitting up next to me, so I guessed I hadn’t just dreamed it.  
  
I got out of bed and went to the intercom, tying the belt on my robe. “Who’s there?”  
  
“Teddy? It’s me, Em.”  
  
Emmett’s voice sounded kind of vague, even for him. I buzzed him up and stood at the open door, looking down the hall.  
  
“Who is it?” Blake came out of the bedroom, wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants, running a hand through his hair.  
  
“It’s Emmett. Go back to bed, I’ve got it.”  
  
Emmett appeared in the hallway, his coat trailing behind him on the floor, his eyes a little unfocused. I wondered if he was drunk or high, but he’d been working that night. I couldn’t imagine him getting wasted at a professional event.  
  
Emmett came in the door and stopped when he saw my pajamas. “Oh my God, I woke you up! I’m so sorry, I’ll go.”  
  
He turned to leave, and Blake and I glanced at each other before I caught his arm. “Em, it’s 3 AM, so, yeah, we were in bed. What’s wrong?”  
  
Emmett stared at me, seemingly taking quite a while to register what I’d said. “It’s 3 AM?”  
  
Blake turned and went into the kitchen, saying he’d make coffee.  
  
“Yeah, it’s 3 AM. Are you okay? What are you doing here?”  
  
I was ushering Emmett ahead of me into the living room, and got him settled onto the sofa. I sat down next to him, my hand on his knee. “Em? What is it?”  
  
He looked at me. “Oh, Teddy. The most terrible thing happened tonight.”  
  
“What? What’s wrong?” All kinds of dreadful scenarios played out in my mind, and I gripped his arm. “What happened?”  
  
He took a shuddering breath. “I fucked Drew Boyd.”  
  
“You WHAT? When? Where did you see him?”  
  
“He showed up at the benefit tonight. He was staying at the hotel where the benefit was.”  
  
I rolled my eyes. “How convenient. Doesn’t he live here? Why does he have a hotel room?”  
  
Emmett shook his head. “He doesn’t live here, he lives in New York, he stays in the hotel during the season.”  
  
“What happened?”  
  
Emmett threw himself face down on the sofa. “I’m such a fool. I woke up, and just slipped out and left him there sleeping.”  
  
“Ouch. That’s cold.”  
  
He nodded miserably. “I’m a heartless slut. I’m just…. Scared.”  
  
I frowned, but nodded, too. “I understand perfectly. What are you going to do now?”  
  
He rolled over, his arm over his face. “Teddy, I don’t have the slightest, faintest, remotest hint of an idea.”  
  
**Emmett’s POV**  
  
It wasn’t something I’d planned. As much as you can ever plan these things. But I didn’t, because I had no idea he’d even be there.  
  
I hadn’t seen Drew in five years, since the day I turned him loose on the unsuspecting gay men of the cities of the American Football Conference. And then tonight, there he was.  
  
I was talking to the head bartender, when I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around. And it was Drew. I’d imagined running into him a thousand times, and always had something brilliant and Lana Turner-esque to say, with my chin high and my eyes steady, but of course, when it actually happened, I just let my mouth hang open.  
  
A lot like the first time we fucked, come to think of it. Drew was a master of the quarterback sneak.  
  
He smiled, his eyes crinkling up. I felt my mouth break into a smile, entirely without my permission. My body always did betray me around this guy.  
  
“How’ve you been?” He took a sip of his drink.  
  
“Well. Hello.” I stared at him. “Hi.”  
  
He just kept looking at me. I tried to get it together. “What… brings you here?”  
  
He shrugged. “It’s a benefit for gay athletes. I’m a gay athlete.”  
  
“Oh. Right.” It was a benefit for the Pittsburgh Gay Games team.  
  
“And I heard you were giving the party. So I called the chair and asked for an invitation. Which they were only too happy to give me.”  
  
I swallowed. “I bet. Big gay football star, three-time MVP, scored the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl, what’s not to, ummm, love. Or, invite. Or…”  
  
“So, I asked how you’ve been.”  
  
“Me. I’ve been… I’ve been fabulous.” I took a deep breath. “I just wasn’t expecting to see you. I don’t suppose you could have emailed or phoned or, you know, stuck a note in my locker?”  
  
He laughed. “Then I would have missed seeing you all flustered and confused.”  
  
I managed a small queeny glare. “Yes. My point exactly.”  
  
“Where,” he asked, “is the fun in that?”  
  
The bartender interrupted us, and after I got done with him, I turned back to Drew, who was standing there patiently. “Drew, what on earth are you doing here? I mean, really? Don’t you have a game or practice or Christmas shopping or something to do?”  
  
“I’m injured this week. I have a few days off. You should read the sports page.”  
  
“Yeah. Well. I stopped reading it obsessively a while ago. And really, Drew, it’s lovely to see you again, really, but I’m working. And I need to do that. Work. Really.”  
  
He considered that for a minute. “How about coming up for a drink after you’re done here?”  
  
I opened my mouth to tell him that wasn’t a good idea, and heard “That would be great” tripping off my tongue instead. I was going to have a serious talk with my body when I got home.  
  
When the event was over, I was supervising the crew loading glassware into boxes, somewhat to their puzzlement. I felt Drew come up behind me, as much from the sudden heat on my skin as the grins on the faces of my bar staff.  
  
I pasted on a big smile and turned around to tell Drew I’d changed my mind. His eyes met mine and I just heaved a big sigh.  
  
“Ready?” He looked amused.  
  
“Sure.” And I followed him to the elevator.  
  
A few guys from the benefit got on with us, and I could see them staring at Drew. Not that he wasn’t used to that. He put his arm over my shoulder, and I had that “prettiest girl at the prom” feeling he always gave me, that I hadn’t felt in a long time.  
  
The bravest of the elevator crowd cleared his throat. “Mr. Boyd, I just wanted to say, what an inspiration you’ve been to me, as an athlete and a gay man. Thank you.”  
  
Drew smiled. “Thanks, I appreciate it. Are you on the Pittsburgh team?”  
  
The three of them started babbling about the triathlon and training and the upcoming games, and Drew just smiled and nodded and wished them luck, and the next thing I knew, they’d gotten off and the door shut and I slumped against him.  
  
“That’s exhausting, baby. Does that always happen to you?”  
  
He hugged me so briefly I thought I might have imagined it. “You could say that.”  
  
When we walked into his suite, I felt my nervousness escalate, and I thought I’d probably start to babble like the boys in the elevator. Drew shrugged out of his jacket, and took mine, and tossed them both on a chair.  
  
“What can I get you to drink?”  
  
“Whatever you’re having, wine or…” He was pouring scotch into a large glass. “Scotch is fine.”  
  
He glanced at me. “On the rocks, right?”  
  
“Well, if it’s scotch, yes, on the rocks, please, thanks.” Shut the fuck up, Emmett.  
  
I took control of the situation by sitting in the armchair instead of on the sofa. Drew sat down across from me, and set his drink on the coffee table. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs, and smiled. “So, you were saying, you’re doing great. That’s good, I’m glad.”  
  
I smiled brightly. “I know you’ve been good, too, I’ve kept up on your career, it’s just this is my busiest time of year and I guess I missed that you’d gotten hurt. Nothing serious, I hope, if you’re only out for the week?”  
  
He shook his head. “Nothing serious. And I’m glad business is good.” He picked up his glass and drained it, and stood up. “Can I refill that for you?”  
  
I shook my head. I hadn’t touched it, and the last thing I wanted was anything that would further scramble my brain. “No, thanks.”  
  
I watched him cross to the bar and refill his glass. I watched him walk back to the sofa, set his glass on the table, and come stand in front of me. I looked up at him, standing over me, and decided that looking up at him was putting me at a disadvantage. I wasn’t quite as tall as Drew, but when I stood up, we were almost eye to eye.  
  
Unfortunately, we were also almost mouth to mouth, which is just what happened next.  
  
Drew put his hand on the back of my neck and pulled my head to his, and kissed me. As kisses go, it was heart-stoppingly perfect. It was the kiss you dream about when you dream about kissing the man that got away. The kind that curls your toes and your hair and makes you wrap your arms around him and press against him and forget there were five years and a thousand discussions between this moment and the bedroom.  
  
Which is where we ended up next.  
  
Drew Boyd is the kind of guy who picks you up and throws you over his shoulder as easily as most guys tug at your zipper. So the impact of him breaking a kiss, gazing into your eyes, and smiling at you, then gently saying, “I’d really like to go to bed with you now,” can’t be overstated. Especially since he had me at the kiss.  
  
“I’d really like that, too,” I told him. I waited for the little judgmental voice in my head to scream at me, but she must have been dazzled by the kiss, too, because she didn’t say a word.  
  
**Ted’s POV**  
  
I was leaning against the side of the bar at the Kinnetik holiday party, Blake leaning next to me, our elbows touching. I sipped my club soda and watched the crowd. Emmett had planned the party, but he was also one of the guests, something he’d made an art form of at Brian’s parties. Which Emmett must have given a hundred of by now. I knew, I paid the bills.  
  
Blake leaned his head into mine for a second. “So, another perfect Kinnetik party.”  
  
I sipped my soda water. “Brian’s money and Emmett’s talent, it’s an unbeatable combination. And Brian’s talent at knowing who to give his money to.”  
  
Blake smiled. “Like you, for instance.”  
  
“Yes, unearthing truffles in the dirt, that’s my great gift.” It was Brian, in an open collared shirt and Armani suit, a glass of champagne in his hand.  
  
I grinned. “I’m going to avoid the obvious response comparing you to a truffle-digging pig, and instead just say, great party. As usual.”  
  
“Thank you, Theodore, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”  
  
Justin walked up to us, his cheeks flushed. “You’ll never believe who just showed up.”  
  
Brian lifted an eyebrow. “Everyone I invited is here, or hospitalized with a life-threatening illness, which is the only thing that would keep them away from this event. Who’s left?”  
  
Justin laughed. “Drew Boyd.”  
  
My jaw dropped. Brian’s eyebrow went even higher, which I hadn’t known was possible. Justin was looking particularly sunshiney, laughing at Brian’s reaction.  
  
“He’s Emmett’s DATE, that’s what he told me.” Justin drank some more champagne, which was probably not wise, given how close his laugh had gotten to a giggle.  
  
“Hello, boys. You remember Drew, don’t you?” It was Emmett. He addressed all of us, but he was looking at Brian, and the laughter that accompanied his words wasn’t matched by the look in his eyes. Which was understandable, given the last thing Brian Kinney had said to Drew Boyd was, “You’re fired.”  
  
Brian smiled and held out his hand, his lips folding in, but his eyes making direct contact with Drew’s. “Drew, good to you see you again.”  
  
Justin had slipped his arm around Brian’s waist, and Brian had his other arm, the one holding his glass, draped lightly over Justin’s shoulders.  
  
Drew’s gaze flickered down to Brian’s hand, then back to Brian’s face, and we all stood there watching for a few seconds, but Drew gripped Brian’s hand.  
  
“Good to see you, too, Brian. Great party.”  
  
We all breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
“Yes, well, when you have the best party planner on the East Coast, it usually is.” And Brian raised his glass to Emmett.  
  
Emmett laughed, and dragged Drew off to say hello to Debbie and Carl, who were sitting in the back and hadn’t seen him come in.  
  
Brian looked at me. “So when did that happen?”  
  
I shrugged. “A couple of weeks ago. Drew was at some benefit Emmett did the planning for, and they’ve been sort of seeing each other ever since.”  
  
Justin tipped his head to the side. “Sort of? The way Emmett was sucking Drew’s tongue out of his mouth when he got here, I’d say it’s more than ‘sort of.’”  
  
Blake laughed. “Never fight destiny.”  
  
Justin smiled happily at no one in particular, and Brian finished his champagne and set the glass on the bar. “Well, gentlemen, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourselves, I have a somewhat drunk blond to sober up. If you’ll excuse us.”  
  
The two of them walked towards Brian’s office, and Blake and I watched after them. “I guess getting fucked on Brian’s desk will sober Justin up.”  
  
Blake nodded. “I’m sure it will. Good thing Brian was here to take care of that.”  
  
A couple of hours later, the party was winding down, and I went looking for Brian to say goodnight. I found him sitting on a sofa with Drew and Gus, Gus in full-fledged hero-worship mode, as only a football-crazy ten-year-old in the presence of greatness can be, while Brian sipped scotch and tried not to let his son see him laugh. Emmett was sitting on the arm of the sofa, talking to Justin, decidedly not about football.  
  
“We’re going to head out.” I kissed Justin on the cheek, and then Emmett. “Beautiful party, Em.”  
  
He stood up and hugged me, kissing my cheek. “Thanks, baby.” He whispered in my ear. “I’ll call you in the morning.”  
  
I nodded, and then Emmett hugged Blake goodnight, and we left.  
  
**Emmett’s POV**  
  
After the party, Drew and I got into his car, and I looked at him. “That went well. You didn’t hit Brian, that was good.”  
  
“I guess I had the holiday spirit. And I didn’t want to deck one of your best clients.” He started the car. “Besides, I understand why he did what he did. He didn’t really have a choice.”  
  
“Well, there’s always a choice, but I’m glad you didn’t break his jaw.” I was quiet while he drove towards downtown. “Where are we going?”  
  
He looked at me, and then back at the road. “I thought we could go back to my place.”  
  
I hesitated, but then I smiled. “Okay.”  
  
I’d slept with Drew eight times since that night after the benefit, and it was starting to feel dangerously like something I’d like to do eight times a week for the rest of my life. I was doing my best not to think about that, and just enjoy it.  
  
We had the elevator to ourselves, and he started kissing me on the way upstairs. He was pressing me against the wall, his hard thigh between my legs, kissing and biting my neck. The elevator stopped and the doors slid open quietly, but he didn’t notice.  
  
“Drew? Drew, honey, we’re there.” I nodded towards the open doors.  
  
He looked at me, his eyes glazed. “What? Oh, right.”  
  
We slipped out just as the doors were sliding shut, and laughed while he fumbled with the key card and I unbuttoned his overcoat, then his shirt. The minute we got inside and he closed the door, he slammed me back against it and frantically opened my coat and shoved it to the floor. I pulled my sweater over my head myself, while he took his coat and shirt off, and then we were kissing again. His arms wrapped around me, and I felt every muscle in his arms pressing against my skin.  
  
I pushed back against his body and he let me break away, and lead him into the bedroom. I took off my pants, and then I opened his and slid them off his hips, sinking down onto the bed and pulling him on top of me.  
  
He stretched over me, and I tipped back my head and let him turn me underneath him. When he went inside me, I buried my head in the pillows and moaned his name. He bent over my back, touching me everywhere, every inch of me warm from his skin, and I came knowing, absolutely knowing, I was totally, completely in love with this man.  
  
Again. Or still. I really didn’t know.  
  
When it was over, I was lying across Drew’s chest, and his hand was gently massaging the back of my neck. I kissed his chest, and he kissed my head, and I thought, god, I could die happy right now.  
  
Instead, I rolled off him and lay propped on my elbow, looking at him. He reached out and took my hand, and I let our palms go flat against each other. After a minute he smiled at me, and curled his fingers over mine.  
  
I sighed. “Baby, what are we doing?”  
  
He looked a little confused. “Well, if you tell anyone I’ll deny it, but I think it’s called cuddling.”  
  
I laughed a little. “Oh, Drew. I mean, us, what are we doing? What is this?”  
  
He didn’t say anything at first. “I’d say we’re getting to know each other again.” He bit his lip and looked adorably uncertain.  
  
“Well, sweetie, there’s one thing I know.” I kissed his hand where it was folded over mine. “I’m falling in love with you all over again. If I ever fell out. And I just can’t stand around waiting to see if you’re still likely to go running off after the next shiny thing you see.”  
  
He looked at me steadily. “Emmett… can’t you give me a little more time?”  
  
I smiled. “Baby, I told you five years ago, you can have all the time you need, or want.”  
  
“I mean time with you.”  
  
I kissed him, hard, then pressed my forehead against his, my hands gripping the back of his head. “The problem is, Drew… I can’t. It just hurts too much to be with you and not be with you. If you know what I mean.”  
  
I kissed him again, and got out of bed, and stood there looking at him.  “Think about it some more. As much as you need to. I have to go.”  
  
And for once, I didn’t ruin the Lana Turner perfection of the moment. I got dressed and walked out, glancing back just once at him, leaning on his elbow, watching me, a strange look on his face.  
  
I had a thousand parties that week, and I threw myself into all of them. I never stopped hoping when the phone rang that it would be him, I looked at every delivery I signed for to see if it was from him, I haunted the mailbox and eyed passing cars in the street, but I didn’t see or hear from him.  
  
The Ironmen played that week, and they won, with Drew scoring the winning touchdown. I watched all alone at my place, wearing my fuzzy slippers and drinking hot chocolate with miniature marshmallows, trying to get into the proper holiday spirit and failing miserably.  
  
He didn’t call.  
  
**Ted’s POV**  
  
We were all at Brian and Justin’s for Christmas Eve brunch. He never had Emmett cater it, swearing he and Justin were perfectly capable of scrambling a few eggs and mixing eggnog, but just like every Christmas Eve for the last few years, everything was suspiciously reminiscent of the food served at one of Pittsburgh’s best hotels. Justin just smiled when I asked him if he’d worn himself out cooking, and asked innocently if I’d like more coffee.  
  
Emmett sat at the table, listlessly sipping a mimosa and playing with his food. I was sitting next to him, and when everyone took their coffee into the living room, I stayed put.  
  
“No word from Drew?”  
  
He heaved a dramatic sigh. “No, I guess it’s time to let that fantasy go. Finally.”  
  
“You never know. Look at me and Blake.”  
  
Emmett smiled at me. “Thanks, Teddy. But I think I just need to face reality. Me and Mr. Boyd weren’t meant to be. I don’t think I was destined to go steady with the captain of the football team, anyway.”  
  
I kissed his cheek. “You deserve the best of everything, Em. And someone who really loves you.”  
  
He hugged me. “I love you, baby.”  
  
I hugged him back. “So, come on. You haven’t eaten anything.”  
  
“Gotta keep my girlish figure. The holidays are hell on the waistline.”  
  
I laughed and patted my fortunately still-almost-flat stomach. “That’s why the gods invented abdominal crunches.”  
  
Emmett laughed and stood up. “Come on, I want to see their tree. Even though I did their decorations. It’s always better on Christmas Eve.” And we went out into the living room.  
  
Everyone either knew or suspected why Emmett’s flame was a little dim, and tried to cheer him up. Brian finally dragged him out by the hot tub for what I assumed was some pharmaceutical intervention, and although I deplored it on one hand, on the other hand, Emmett did seem a lot happier when he came back inside. Or I might have misjudged Brian; maybe he just gave Emmett some tough love. Hard to know with those two.  
  
Michael sat down on one side of me, and Mel on the other, while Emmett and Brian were out of the room. Justin was deep in conversation with Ben and Lindsay over by the fire, and the kids were presumably lost in the electronic wonderland that was Brian’s toy room, pardon me, media room.  
  
Mel spoke first. “So, what the fuck’s going on with Emmett and Drew Boyd?”  
  
I gave her the rundown, as much of it as I knew, and Michael sighed. “Poor Em. It’s weird, really. He’s the only one of us who’d have looked me in the eye from the day we met and said he believed in true love lasting through all eternity, and he’s the only one of us who’s still single.”  
  
Mel and I contemplated that irony while we stared at the fire, and then Michael sighed again.  
  
Emmett was standing at the window on the far end of the room, his head leaning against the glass. He turned to look at us. “It’s starting to snow.”   
  
Everyone swarmed to the big windows to look outside, and Gus and Jenny went streaming out, their moms racing after them with coats and gloves.  
  
Brian smirked from the armchair on the other side of the room. “Now you see what you started?”  
  
Emmett smiled semi-tragically. “What, got the kids outside to burn off all that breakfast sugar?”  
  
Brian looked thoughtful. “Hmmmm. You may be right. Thanks.”  
  
Justin and Blake looked disgustedly at all of us and went outside with the kids and the lesbians, united in their love of winter sports – if throwing snowballs qualified as a winter sport.  
  
“Still too cool to play with the kids, Brian?” Emmett said it with a smile.  
  
Brian lifted his eyebrow. “Still too morose to play with the kids, Emmett?”  
  
Emmett sighed. “Don’t I get more than a week to get over losing the love of my life a second time? No, make that a third time?”  
  
I put my hand on his shoulder. “You get as long as you need, Em. And it’s his loss.”  
  
Emmett shrugged. “It’s time I let go of the dream, boys. From now on, I’m going to be realistic. Sensible. Cynical. Kind of like Brian.”  
  
I snorted. “Brian’s married.”  
  
Emmett sighed. “I know. Isn’t it wonderful?”  
  
Ben and Michael laughed, but I just shook my head. I knew better than anyone, Emmett would never stop believing in love. It was what he did. It was who he was.  
  
**Emmett’s POV**  
  
Everyone tried to cheer me up on Christmas Eve, and I felt better than I had before I got there, but nothing really worked for long. Brian finally dragged me out by the hot tub. It was too cold to go outside.  
  
I wandered over to the hot tub and sat on the cover. “Brian, I know what you’re doing to say.”  
  
He looked at me, amused. “Do you?”  
  
I nodded. “You’re going to tell me to shit or get off the pot. To go after him or forget him for good.”  
  
Brian shrugged. “Not the exact words I had in mind, but they’ll do.”  
  
I sighed. “I told him to call me when he was ready for a boyfriend, when he was past the stage of wanting to sleep with every hot thing that moved in his vicinity. Deb said he was emotionally around 17, and I told him to call me when he turned 21.”  
  
Brian snorted. “Seventeen-year-olds aren’t as distractible as Deb seems to think they are.”  
  
I smiled. “No, I guess not, but he was pretty much a kid in the candy store, and I didn’t have the heart to try to stop him from eating all the candy he wanted. I did. You did. Justin did. We all did. He should have had that, too.”  
  
“And if gossip is even half true, he’s had it. Maybe he’s ready for something else. It happens to the best of us.”  
  
I nodded. “However hard you try to avoid it.”  
  
“Well, there you go. Maybe looking you up was his way of saying he’s ready.”  
  
“Or maybe he just stumbled across me and didn’t think about it at all.”  
  
Brian got up and put his hand on my shoulder. “There’s only one way to find out, Emmett. He’ll either come back and tell you, or you go after him and ask.” He squeezed hard on my shoulder. “And in the meantime, stop sulking. It’s positively un-American to be maudlin on Christmas Eve. And you’re bringing the party down.”  
  
I laughed and we went back into the living room, but I couldn’t focus on what Brian had said, or anything, really. A little while after it started to snow, Ted decided he wanted to get home before it got worse, so he and Blake dropped me off at my place. I curled up on the sofa with my remote control and watched sappy holiday movies while the snow fell outside and the clock ticked closer to Christmas Day. I was going to Debbie’s with everyone else, and for the first time in years, I started thinking about skipping it. I wasn’t sure I was up to all that peace and joy and togetherness just then.  
  
I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke up, the TV was showing a flickering fake Yule log, and playing tinny Christmas carols. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and then focused on the fact that my cell phone was ringing. I looked at the caller ID and felt a jolt of panic. It was Drew.  
  
But I answered. Sometimes you just have to take a chance.  
  
“Hello.”  
  
I knew it was him. He knew I knew. I knew he knew I knew. Still, we play these little games.  
  
“Hey.”  
  
I sighed. “Drew.”  
  
“It’s me. Listen, Emmett, I was wondering, could I come up?”  
  
I shifted on the sofa. “Up?”  
  
“I’m downstairs.”  
  
I hesitated a long time. “What for?”  
  
“I want to talk to you.”  
  
I buzzed him up, trying not to think. Or hope. Or really, even notice.  
  
He walked in the door and I shut it behind him, slipping out of the way and going to the TV and turning it off.  
  
“Can I get you anything? Coffee, a drink?” Drew’s eyes flickered to the floor next to the sofa. “Melted leftover ice cream and Reddi-whip?”  
  
He shook his head. “No, I… I just wanted to talk to you.”  
  
“Talk to me?”  
  
He nodded. “About a party.”  
  
I stared. “A… a party? You came in here at almost midnight on Christmas Eve to talk to me about a fucking _party_?”  
  
“Yeah. A special party.”  
  
“Let me get this straight. You want me to give a party for you? That’s what you wanted to talk about?” My voice was about two octaves higher than it normally was.  
  
“Not exactly.”  
  
“Not exactly. Could you possibly say exactly what it is you _do_ mean, then?”  
  
“I want you to come to a party, not give it.”  
  
I just stood there. “To a party? With you?”  
  
“That’s right.”  
  
“What kind of party is it?” I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation.  
  
He stepped up to me, and put his hands on my forearms. I knew I should back up, run away, something, but I just stood there.  
  
“A birthday party.”  
  
I blinked.  
  
“My birthday party.” He leaned in and brushed his lips across mine, and I felt the old, familiar dizzy magic start spinning my head around. “My 21st birthday party.”  
  
I just stared at him. And stared. And kept staring, until he frowned. “Emmett?”  
  
“I… I….”  
  
“Love me? I love you, too.” And then he kissed me, his mouth open and his hands holding onto my arms like I was the most precious thing he’d ever touched.  
  
He finally pulled his mouth away, and pressed our foreheads together. “Well?”  
  
I cleared my throat. “What was the question again?”  
  
He smiled at me. “Emmett Honeycutt, will you help me celebrate my 21st birthday, tonight and every night for the rest of our lives?”  
  
I threw my arms around his neck, and told him I would. I really would.


End file.
